Can end stacking machine



y 15, 1934- I w. E. BURNS I 1,958,845

CAN END STACKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 -2 Sheetsfiheet l INVENTOR Wu. FRED E. BUR/v.5

May 15, 1934. w. E. BURNS 7 CAN END STACKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR v Wu. FRED E. EUR/v.5

f flaw/N ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES CAN END STACKING MACHINE Wilfred E. Burns, Burlingame, Calif., assignor to M. J. B. Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 10, 1930, Serial No. 480,921

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for stacking can ends, or the like, and it has reference in particular to a stacker mechanism designed for use in conjunction with what is known in the can making industry as a lining machine whereby a liquid sealing compound. is

applied to the flanges of the can ends to insure the integrity of the joint, or seam, when the ends are applied and secured to the can bodies by the seamer.

The present stacker, as herein illustrated, is in the nature of an attachment applied to a lining machine, although it is understood not to be limited in use as an attachment device. It is arranged to receive the can ends, successively, as the latter are delivered from the lining machine, and it operates to feed the ends onto the lower end of a stack for advancement upwardly through a drying chamber whereby the sealing compound is dried.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a can end stacker mechanism that is relatively simple, inexpensive in construction, and which provides for feeding the ends into the stack at its lower end for upward movement through a drier.

More specifically, the invention relates to those parts of the mechanism whereby the can ends are delivered to the stack; whereby the stack is supported during delivery of the ends into a position for'advancement thereto and whereby the ends are successively lifted and assembled with the stack at its bottom end to advance the stack upwardly through the drying chamber.

- It is also an object of the invention to provide simple and convenient means for adjusting the various parts of the machine to accommodate can ends of different size.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction, in the combination of parts,

and in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing the various objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein- Fig. l is an end elevation of a can stacking machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings 1 designates the base, or bed plate, of a lining machine with which the stacker is used, and

whereby a sealing compound is applied to the flanges of the can ends just prior to their being delivered to the stacker mechanism. In the present instance, the can ends are advanced successively from the liner by a feed mechanism including a reciprocating slide 2 which advances the ends from a supply, not shown, and centers them on a spinning pad 3. While located on the pad and while being revolved thereby, a measured quantity of a sealing compound is discharged into the rim flange of the end from a nozzle 4. The nozzle is disposed directly above the end flange and is supplied from a source of supply through a pipe 5, and means, not herein illustrated, is employed in connection with the nozzle for opening and closing it at proper times in synchronism with the feed mechanism so that the proper, measured amounts of compound will be delivered to each end while it is spinning.

The feed slide, in this instance, is reciprocated by connection with a driven shaft 6, mounted transversely beneath the bed plate and equipped with a belt wheel '7 by which it is driven. The slide may be operatively connected with the driven shaft in any suitable manner, so as to give it an even reciprocal action to advance the can ends first to the pad, then from the pad to the stack. In the present instance, this feed mechanism is not shown in detail, but is designated, generally, in Fig. 2, by parts bearing numerals 88a,,9 and 9a.

The stacker mechanism comprises a horizontal base plate 10 that is supported by means of brackets ll fixed to the ends of the lining machine frame and supporting the plate 10 level with the base plate 1 so that the can ends may be advanced by the action of the feed slide directly thereto. The plate 10 is provided with parallel ribs 11a forming aguideway into which the ends are received in their advancement to the stack, and, as they are received within the stacker mechanism, they are limited in their advance movement by engagement with the lower ends of verl-ical guide rods12 which serve in connection with similar rods 12a as guiding and supporting means for the stack. It is to be observed that the lower ends of the rods 12a terminate short of the base plate 10 to permit the ends entering the stack to pass beneath them and are bent forwardly so that when the ends are moved upwardly to the stack they are guided thereby into position.

As the can ends, designated by reference char-- acter E, are received from the liner against the lower ends of guide rods 12, they are lifted upwardly and fed to the stack by the upward, reciprocal movement of a feed block that is fixed to the upper end of a vertical, reciprocating slide rod 16. This rod 16 is mounted in a guide bearing 17 that is fixed by bolts 18 to the base plate 10 and is provided at its lower end with a rider 19 that rests upon a cam 20 fixed on a rotatable shaft 21. A spring 22 disposed about the rod acts against the bearing and rider to hold the latter against the cam. The shaft 21 is supported in bearings 23 formed at the lower ends of brackets 23 that are fixed to opposite sides of the base plate 10, and it is driven by a chain-belt 25 which extends about a sprocket wheel 26 on the shaft and a sprocket wheel 27 on the 'mai-ndri've shaft of the lining machine. The driving connection is so arranged that the cam shaft rotates in-synchronism with the main shaft and once to the delivery of each end into the machine. As the can ends are successively received against the stops and are lifted upwardly "by upward moveinent'o f the reed. block 15 to the endoi the stack, the'y aresupported by catches 30 form'edon paired supporting lev'ers '31 disposed diametrically of the stack, These levers, 'asshown best in Fig. 1, are mounted by pivot 'bolts'32 so that they may swing inwardly to cause the catches to supportinfgl-y engage tlie lowerend of the stack'and they may swin'g'o-utwardly from engagement with'th'e stack fer the feeding of anendthereto. The construction providesthat the catches of the paired levers support the stack in raised position while the feed'block l5'is1owered for thereception of the can "ends. However, whenever a can end is liftednpw'ardly' against the lower end of the stack, thefsupporting:catches are moved outwardly so that tl'ieend may be assembled with the stack, but "before the feed block starts downward, the levers areswung inwardly to cause the'catches again to support the stack.

The paired levers S11+3 1 are pivotally supported by the *bolts 32-32 "which, in'turn,"are mounted in lugs S's-34 'formed on supporting plates 35- 35; the platesbeing adjustably mounted in the'fr'ame'as 'will'pre'sently be described. The lower ends'of thest'ack supporting levers 31-31 comprise'ro'c'ker arms 3636 and these arms carry cam followers 37 at, their endswhich are disposed within -encircling cam'slots' 38 of earns 39 mounted ontl'ie 'dr'ivenshaft '21 previously'mentione'd. Thec'o'nstructi'on is 's uch that'as each can end is delivered into the stacker, it is positioned'directly below thelower'end' of the'stack while the t kis supperted by the catches 30"oi'the supporting 'levers 31. Immediately following the delijv'eryfloi the can end into the machine, the feed blockfldis move'd upwardly by the action of the cam 20 against the lower end of rod 16 and the canflend "is lifted thereby against the lower end (qfthestaokyand the stack is advanced upwardly Within the guide rods accordingly. During the lifting period oi the can end by'the action of the feed-block 15, the supporting levers 31 are moved outwardly by their respective cams to pernit the assembling of the end with the stack, but prior 'to' the downward movement of the feed block, thalevers swing inwardly to retain the stack. As soon as the, block has reached its lower limit, an0thercan end is delivered into the machine and the lifting operation is repeated. In

this wayfthe stack'is "built 'up and the can ends advanced upwardly within the guideway provided by the 'jrfo els -1 2- -1211.

A reat'iire ofthe present invention resides in the adjustability of the various parts to accomto swii'i same 'e'x eat to thereby adjust the guide rods inrnodate the machine for handling can ends of different diameters. In this instance, the guide rods 12 and 12a are adjustable inwardly or outwardly with respect to the central axis of the stack. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the rods 12 and 12a are fixed at their lower ends to arms 40. These arms have their outer ends pivotally nounted by studs 41 mounted in a supporting frame 42, and there is ring 1-3 revolubly fitted within the frame and provided with angularly directed slots 45 within which pins 4.6 in the arms are slidably fitted. This particular construction provides that by moving the ring rotatably within the frame, the pin and slot connection will cause the arms "nwardly or outwardly to exactly the wardly or outwardly accordingly, and to thereby adapt the guideway formed by the rods to can ends cram certain diameter. The upper ends of the guide rods are supported by arms 47 which are radially adjustable within a collar 48 which is supported from the enclosed heating chamber presently described. Set screws 48' retain the arms at their various pesitions of adjustment.

I have also provided for making quick and accurate adjustment of the stack supporting levers Bl-Blahdthe cams 3939 wherebythe levers are actuated. Forthis purpose, the plates 35-35 on which the levers are mounted are slidably mounted for adjustment from and towardeach other. The upper andlower ends of the plates, as shown in Figure 1, aredisposed within guide slots El--49 formed in a bracket 50 that is fixed to the bed plate 10 at the end of the lining machine. Plates 51 and 52 overlie the ends of plates 35 to hold them in place and a shaft 55 is revolubly mounted inbearings in the brackets 23'2 -3' and is extended also'throug'h thelugs 34 on the plates 35-35 and the 'shaftis provided with right and left hand threads, as designated at 56 and 5'7, whereby, rotation of the shaft causes the plates to be adjusted simultaneously ironr or tcward each other dependent on the direction of its rotation. If it is desired to-adjustthe parts to accommodate can-ends of alarger diameter, the shaft 55 is rotated in a direction to movethe plates 'apart. If his desired to accommodate ends of smaller diameter, it is rotated to move the plates toward each'other. Likewise, the cams 39 39 are slidably'keyed on the driven shaft 21 and are adjusted along the shaft inaccordance w'itlradjustrne'nt of the plates by means-ofyokes 6il60 that are integralfwith the plates and lugs and which, respectively, have ends as at 60w engaging'oppos'ite sides ofthe cams.

In the present instance, the stacker is" used in connection with adrying chamber, and in the drawings, I have indicated the chamber at '75. Itconsists of an insulated housing ofcylindrical form enclosing the stack. It is provided atits lower end with means, as designated 9.576, for the delivery of hot air into the lower end of the chamber. The air 'flows upwardly through the chamber and around the stack to dry the compoundthat has been'de'livered to the can ends. At the upper end of the stack is'a'delivery chute 78 whereby the ends, as they reach the upper end of thedrier, will be'carried off toa; su'itablepoint "of use. Means, as des'ignated'at 79, may be'employed to push the end from the stack into the chute 73.

Thismachi ne is relatively simple."and easily and'quickly'adjustable to accommodate ends of difierent diameters. Italsois easily applied, to and operates verysatisfactorilywith present'd'ay lining machineswithout alteration of the latter.

Having thus described-my invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A stackercomprising, in combination, a guideway for supporting stacked articles for upward travel therein, reciprocal feed mechanism for delivering articlesin succession-to a position beneath the guideway, means timed with the reciprocal feed mechanism for lifting the articles as they are thus received, into the guideway and to the stack to advance the latter upwardly, devices engageable with the lower end of the stack to support it in the guideway and mechanism operable in synchronism with the said lifting means for positively actuating the said devices outwardly to positions clear of the stack for the delivery of each article thereto by the lifting means and for actuating them inwardly prior to downward return of the lifting means.

2. A stacker comprising, in combination, a base, means forming a vertical guideway above the base for supporting stacked articles for upward travel therein, reciprocating feed mechanism for delivering articles in succession along the horizontal guideway to a position beneath the lower end of the vertical guideway, vertically reciprocating means synchronized with the feed mechanism for lifting the articles as they are successively received to advance them upwardly into the guideway to the stack, levers pivoted in the base to extend on opposite sides of the horizontal guideway to positions at opposite sides of the vertical guideway and normally engaging the stack end to support it against downward travel in the guideway, and means operatively connected with the catches for moving them outwardly clear of the stack for lifting of each article to the stack and for again returning them to support the stack prior to downward movement of the lifting means.

3. A can end stacker comprising a base, a vertical guideway disposed above the base, feed mechanism operable to deliver can ends in succession beneath the guideway, a vertically reciprocable block engageable with the ends as they are succesively received to lift them upwardly into the guideway to form a stack, pivotally mounted levers having catches for engaging the stack end to support it in the guideway mounting means for the levers adjustable to move the catches from or towards each other, a cam shaft, a cam on the shaft for actuating the reciprocable block, and other cams on the shaft for actuating the said levers outwardly from supporting position incident to the delivery of each can end to the stack and for moving them inwardly to stack supporting position prior to retractive movement of the block.

4. A can end stacker comprising a base, a vertical guideway supported above the base, feed mechanism for delivering can ends in succession onto the base to a position directly below the receiving end of the guideway, a cam shaft, a cam on the shaft, a bar alined with the guideway and '1 reciprocally actuated by the cam, a head block on the bar movable upwardly by the reciprocating bar against the can ends as they are successively delivered by the feed mechanism to lift them upwardly into the lower end of the guideway to form 5 a stack, a pair of pivotally mounted levers at opposite sides of the guideway having catches at their upper ends engageable with the stack end to support the stack against downward travel, and cams on the cam shaft and operatively engaging the pair of levers to actuate the catches outwardly for delivery of ends to the stack and for actuating them inwardly to stack supporting position'prior to downward travel of the reciprocating bar.

5'. A can end stacker comprising a base, a ver tical guidewaysupported'above the base, feed mechanism for delivering can ends in succession to a position on the base directly beneathentrance to the guideway, a vertically reciprocating block engageable with the can ends as they are successively delivered by the feed mechanism to lift them upwardly into the lower end of the guideway to form a stack, catches at opposite sides of the guideway engageable with the stack end to support the stack against downward travel, means individually supporting the catches and an adjusting mechanism for said means whereby the catches may be moved toward or from each other to accommodate can ends of different diameters.

6. A can end stacker comprising a base, a vertical guideway supported above the base, feed mechanism for delivering can ends in succession onto the base to a position directly below the entrance to the guideway, a cam shaft, a cam on the shaft, a block reciprocally actuated by the cam to lift the can ends into the guideway as they are, successively received, a pair of pivotally mounted levers at opposite sides of the guideway having catches at their upper ends engageable with the stack end to support it in the guideway, cam followers on said levers, cams fixed on the shaft and operatively engaged by the said followers to actuate the levers and catches outwardly for delivery of the ends to the stack and for then actauting them inwardly to stack supporting position; said levers having relatively adjustable supports and a shaft having right and left hand threaded connections respectively with said supports and operable on rotation of the shaft to move them simultaneously from or toward each other.

7. A can end stacker comprising a base, a vertical guideway supported above the base, feed mechanism for delivery of can ends in succession onto the base to a position directly below the entrance to the guideway, a cam shaft, a cam on said shaft, a block reciprocally actuated by the cam to lift the cam ends as successively received into the guideway, a pair of pivotally mounted levers at opposite sides of the guideway with catches at their upper ends engageable with the stack end to support it in the guideway, cam followers on said levers, a pair of cams slidably keyed on the shaft and operatively engaging the said followers to actuate the levers and catches outwardly for the delivery of the can ends to the stack and for then actuating them inwardly to stack supporting position during retractive movement of the block, relatively adjustable supports for said levers, means integral therewith engaging said pair of cams to retain them functionally on the shaft, and an adjusting shaft rotatably mounted in the base and having right and left hand threaded connections with the supports to move them simultaneously toward or from each other.

8. In a stacker of the character described, a stack supporting guideway comprising a frame, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted in the frame, stack supporting guide rods mounted by the said arms and rotatably adjustable means encircling the guideway for simultaneously adjusting the arms in such manner as to swing the rods from or toward the vertical axis of the guideway mounted said base concentric of the guideway and having operative connection with each [of said arms whereby rotation of the ring in opposite directions simultaneonsly efiects inward and outward adjustment of said bars to decrease'or ,i'ncrease the of the guideway to accommodate can ends of different diameters. WILFRED E. BURNS. 

